Separable-leaf ledger.



No. 684,|85. Patented Oct. 8, I901. J. BUEGHNER.

SEPARABLE LE AF LEDGER. (Application filed. Apr. 21, 11500.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet i.

Witnesses: llQVQQtO,

if. "Q1 if No. 684,!85. Patented Oct. 8, 19M. -J. BUECHIIER.

SEPABABLE LEAF LEDGEB.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BUEOHNER, OF BATTLEOREEK, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE BUEOIINER MANUFAOTURINGOOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SEPARABLE-LEAF LEDGER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,18 5, dated October 8, 1901.

Application filed April 21, 1900.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN BUECHNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Battlecreek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in separable-Leaf Ledgers or Books, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a separable-leaf ledger,and particularly to such a ledger which is adapted to be added to by sections, as well as by leaves, to take care of an increasing business and one from which closed accounts can be easily transferred.

The invention also incidentally relates to an effective and satisfactory metallic binding for use in ledgers. By the method here adopted the durability of the metal is made available in a ledger which will satisfactorily open to enable the writing of accounts within the same and which presents a neat and the usual satisfactory appearance of a ledger when closed.

The invention is applicable to various purposes aside from ledgers and account-books.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide in a ledger or account-book a satisfactory sectional structure whereby the ledger can be built up to any desired size and where at the same time the valuable features of separable leaves are secured; second, to provide a binding for a ledger or accountbook which is capable of receiving additional leaves without varying either its style or general appearance; third, to provide a satisfactory metal binding for ledgers or accountbooks; fourth, to provide a satisfactory sectional binding forledgers, account, or similar books, and, fifth, to provide an improved means of transferring the separable leaves to and from the ledger or account -bo0k. Further objects will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow. 7

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in this specification.

The invention is clearly defined, and pointed out in the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is fully illustrated in the accompa- Serial No. 13,820. (No model.)

nying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which'- Figure 1 is a detail plan view of the ledger or account-book with the cover opened flat,

a portion of the interior of the cover being broken away to show the manner of adjusting the back. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the book as it appears in Fig. 1, taken on a line corresponding to line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of the binder for one of the sections, a portion of the ledgerleafbeing left in position and the binder being unlocked and opened out flat. Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the binder of a section in its closed position, being taken on'a line corresponding to line 44 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View through a portion of a single section and a part of the cover attached thereto, taken on a line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig. 3, one of the curved transfer-arms being illustrated in position. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional View through a section-binder closed, taken on a line corresponding to line 6 6 of Fig. 3, showing the means of retaining the clamp-plates. F' 7 is a detail perspectimee emf the curved transfe'Farms.

In the drawings similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several Views, and all of the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section-lines.

Referring to the lettered parts of the drawings, A A represent the front and back covers, which are provided with metal bindings D D, shaped to form a member of a hinge longitudinal of the back to receive pins D for attaching the same to the back when bound.

B B represent the upper and under clamps of a binder for a section of leaves. These are hinged together on a pivot-pin O, which they appropriately embrace like the halves of an ordinary hinge. To the under clampplate B is secured a hollow stud H, which projects up through a suitable perforation in the upper clamp B. This stud is the means which engages the perforations in the sheets A, the same being slitted from the perforations to the back at s to permit the leaves to be readily withdrawn or inserted. The binder ICG retain it in position.

can be quite satisfactorily used without the slits 8, though many advantageous features wouldlthen be omitted. The top and bottom clamps B B are retained together by the slide E, having tongues E E thereon of different lengths to engage the said clamp-plates B B, successively, thus facilitating the clamping. Longitudinal slots are cut in the plates B B and a portion n is depressed in a little loop atthe end of each slot toward the top of the book, and a corresponding loop n is struck up from the under plate B to be engaged by the said tongues E and E", respectively. The slide E is retained in position by a loop 24, through which the hinge-pin 0 extends to The ends of the slide E project beyond the edge of the book, both at top and bottom, so it can be easily moved in either direction by pressure to lock or release the section. The tongues are long enough to extend through the loops n 'n and are embraced between the plates, so that there are no rough projections, as clearly appears in Fig. at. The tongues are shown in the withdrawn position in Fig. 3. A plate C, which is turned into suitable hinge-joint members alternately deflected up and down, connects the sections together by the pins D, extending through the same. Each plate 0 on its opposite edge is provided with hinge members, which embrace the pivot-pin O of its appropriate section, so that each section is supported on an independenthinge separated a suitable distance from the back hinges. These plates 0 serve as connections between the sections and the hinges on which the book is opened. The hinge at 0 between the plates 0 and the sections permits the sections to lie flat when the book is open. It will thus be seen that by withdrawing pins D D any section can be removed and the remainder assembled together in exactly the same manner that they were before.

To preserve the desired appearance in the metal-bound book, I provide a back F, of leather, which terminates in a leather strap F on each side. A buckle G is secured to the back by the strap G. The buckle G maybe an ordinary harness-buckle and is providedin a suitable recess in the cover, so that the back can be inserted into the recess and be ad-' justed, by means of the strap and the buckle, to accommodate any desired number of sections Within the limits of the size of the book, which of course can be indefinite, depending on the capacity to which the book may be desired to expand. A flap A covers the recess in the cover.

To facilitate the removal and insertion of leaves into each section,I provide curved arms I, which have enlarged disks or buttons 1 at one end. At the opposite end short stubs of screws project, which are flattened on each side. These are adapted to fit into the hollow studs H, which are internally screw-threaded, with suitable notches cut down through the threads to permit the studs 1 to be readily inserted, so that these arms I can be inserted, and by turning quarter-way around to the position indicated in Fig. 5 locked in position. They serve as guides to receive and retain the clamp-plates B B in proper relation to each other and permit the leaves A to become separated without becoming entirely detached. The leaves when these devices are used should be'slotted at s to permit their easy insertion and removal. great advantage,as it keeps the parts together during the transfer of filled sheets and the insertion of blank pages at any desired point.

It is obvious from this description that the binding of my improved ledger is exceedingly durable, as it can be made of sheet-steel or any durable metal or material. It will be noted that the leaves are held securely in sections and that the binding for any number of sections can be joined together and form a structure complete in every particular, that these new sections are easily added by merely withdrawing a pin and inserting it again, and that any sheet is easily transferred or single sheets can be easily inserted by moving the slide E and releasing the sheets of any section after the transfer-arms I have been put in position. By skill and care it would be possible to do this without the aid of the transfer-arms, though they are always desirable in this connection.

From these remarks it will be observed that the structure can be greatly varied without departing from my invention. The book would be quite satisfactory withoutthe leather back This feature will be found of 7 F, although that serves a very useful purpose in preserving the usual appearance in a book of this kind and also prevents the metal from marring a desk or other furniture with which it might come in contact. I have shown the binding parts constructed of thin sheet metal, but believe that other material might be used or that in place of using thin sheets the parts IIO might be made heavier, except possibly at 1. In a ledger or similar book, the combination of detachable sections; said sections consisting of leaves detachably bound or secured between clamping-plates; plates 0 hinged to and extending rearwardly beyond the rear edges of the said clamping-plates and provided with hinge members arranged alternately to each side of the planes of the plates to coact with the hinge members of the adjoining plates; hinge-pins for joining the said hinge members; covers each provided with hinge members joined to a hinge member of a plate 0 by a suitable hinge-pin, the said covers being recessed on the inner side, and a flexible back F adapted to buckle to each cover so that it is adjustable to the thickness of the book, all coacting substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

2. In a ledger or similar book, the combination of detachable sections; said sections consisting of leaves detachably bound or secured between clamping-plates; plates 0 hinged to and extending rearwardly beyond the rear edges of the said clamping-plates and provided with hinge members arranged alternately to each side of the planes of the plates to coact with the hinge members of the adjoining plates; hinge'pins for joining the said hinge members; covers provided with hinge members joined to a hinge member of a plate 0 by suitable hinge-pins, all coacting substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

3. In a separable-leaf ledger or book, a section made up of a bottom plate 13; a top clamp-plate B hinged thereto; a stud H secured to one clamp-plate, extending through a perforation on the other; a slide E with a loop embracing the hinge-pin between the clamp-plates and having tongues E E secured thereto by projections and arranged in the direction of said slide; and loops n struck up from the bottom plate and loops 'n struck down from the top plate to be engaged by the tongues of said slide; leaves perforated to engage the stud H, all coacting as described, for the purpose specified.

4. In a separable-leaf ledger or book, a section made up of a bottom clamp-plate B; a top clamp-plate hinged thereto; a stud II secured to one clamp-plate, extending through a perforation in the other; a slide E with a loop embracing the hinge-pin between the clamp-plates and having tongues E E secured thereto by projections and arranged in the direction of said slideg-loops n struck up from the bottom plate and loops n struck down from the top plate to be engaged by the tongues of said slide 5 leaves perforated to engage the stud H and slitted to the back; and guide-arms I provided with suitable connections for attaching themto the stud H to receive said leaves in transferring the same, for the purpose specified.

5. In a separable-leaf ledger or book, a section made up of a bottom clamp-plate B; a top clamp-plate hinged thereto; a hollow stud II internally screw-threaded and notched on opposite sides, secured to one clamp-plate, extending through a perforation in the other; a

f l I slide E with a loop embracing the hinge-pin between the clamp-plates and having tongues E E, secured thereto by projections and arranged in the direction of said slide; and loops n struck up from the bottom plate and loops n struck down from the top plate to be engaged by the tongues of said slide; leaves perforated to engage the stud H and slitted to the back; and guide-arm I having a screwthreaded stud flattened on opposite sides to insert into the hollow stud H, for the purpose specified.

6. In a separable-leaf ledger or book, the combination of a bottom clamp-plate; a top clamp-plate hinged thereto; a stud secured to said bottom plate extending through a perforation in said top plate; and a detachable curved guide-arm for attachment to said stud to permit the swinging of said top plate on its hinge while said guide-arm is attached to said stud to receive the leaves in making transfer.

7. In a separable-leaf ledger or book, the combination of clamping-plates hinged together a stud on one of said plates extending through a perforation in the other; a detachable curved guide-arm for attachment to said stud, to permit the opening of said plates while attached to the stud to receive the leaves in making transfer.

8. In a separable-leaf ledger or book, the combination with a binding having hollow studs which extend through perforations in the leaves, said studs being internally screwthreaded and notched on opposite sides, each stud being provided with a curved guide-arm with a screw-threaded stud flattened on opposite sides for insertion into each of said hollow studs for use in making transfer of the leaves, for the purpose specified.

9. In a ledger or book, the combination of a series of sections; plates 0 hinged to and ex tending rearwardly beyond the rear edges of said sections, said plates having hinge members arranged alternately to each side of the planes thereof; and hinge-pins for uniting the adjoining hinge members of said plates, for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BUEOHNER. [n s.]

Witnesses:

WILLIAM W. ANDERSON, NELsoN E. HUBBARD. 

